You’re taking a road trip, with your partner and kids in tow, and you’re pretty sure you’ve covered all the safety essentials. Everyone has their seatbelt on, you’ve checked your tire pressure and your lights, and you’re ready to go.
There’s just one thing you might be missing: reflective decals. You might associate these with workmen or even with cyclists, but there’s nothing stopping you from putting reflective decals on your car, too. When someone’s headlights shine on the decals, light will reflect back at them.
Why Reflective Decals Could Be a Lifesaver
Imagine that the worst happens when you’re driving at night: your back lights go out and you haven’t realized. Cars behind could get dangerously close before noticing you’re there. A reflective decal won’t ever blow a bulb or run out of battery — it will always carry on reflecting.
Of course, this isn’t a reason to not check your rear lights before a trip, but it’s a welcome backup if something unexpected happens.
Placing reflective decals on your vehicle could also be really helpful if you end up parking on a road at night, or if you’re parking somewhere a bit unusual like a campsite: yes, other cars should easily be able to see you there, but decals give that extra little bit of help.
Another big advantage is when you (and your family) are returning to your vehicle in the dark: reflective decals make it super-easy to spot it in a busy campsite or car park.
“Child On Board” Reflective Decals
If you have kids, then you may well have a “child on board” or “baby on board” sticker in the window. If it’s not reflective, though, it’s not doing its job at night.
If your car is involved in an accident, you want your sticker to instantly alert rescuers that there may be a child in the vehicle.
Plus, if you’re using the sticker primarily to encourage other cars to drive safely and keep their distance, then it’s only going to work if they can actually see it! This means that using a reflective decal, rather than a simple non-reflective sticker, is essential.
Where to Place Reflective Decals on Your Car
You’ll probably want to put a couple of reflective decals on the back of your car fairly low down, where they can reflect low-beam headlights — just in case of a lights failure. Ultimately, though, it’s up to you where you put your reflective decals: so long as you adhere to your state’s regulations, you can put them wherever you want on your car.
Think through how and where the decals might be useful: if you want them to make your car more recognizable to your kids at night, for instance, that might mean having one on each door and on the back and front of the car, so they can be seen from any angle.
Whatever type of reflective decal you opt for, stay safe, and have a great road trip!
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